Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate Oladipupo Adebutu has questioned his exclusion from the Independent National Electoral Commission's final list of candidates for the 2027 election, describing the circumstances as troubling. He said the omission was particularly difficult to understand because other PDP candidates seeking legislative offices appeared on the published lists. The development has prompted the opposition party to challenge the commission's decision while maintaining that Adebutu and his running mate remain its duly nominated candidates.
Speaking on Sunday, October 11, 2026, Adebutu reacted to the list released by INEC on Saturday, October 10, ahead of the February 6, 2027, governorship election in Ogun State. The document, signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains 13 governorship candidates but excludes Adebutu and his running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo. The former federal lawmaker said the appearance of PDP candidates for the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate, alongside the absence of the governorship ticket, raised serious questions requiring clarification.
Adebutu's concerns centre on the apparent difference between the treatment of his nomination and those of other candidates sponsored by the same party. He maintained that the PDP had participated in the nomination process and submitted candidates for several elective positions. The absence of only its governorship ticket, he argued, required an explanation from the electoral commission.
The published document confirms that neither Adebutu nor Sowunmi-Kolapo appears among the 13 governorship tickets accepted for Ogun State. INEC did not provide a specific reason for their omission in the list, leaving the party and its supporters uncertain about the administrative or legal basis for the development.
The Ogun State PDP has separately accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of exerting pressure on INEC to exclude its candidate. In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, the party alleged that the APC was attempting to undermine its participation in the governorship contest because of concerns about electoral competition.
Adebayo maintained that Adebutu had never left the PDP and had completed the party's membership registration requirements within the stipulated period. According to the spokesperson, the candidate obtained a printed membership card, underwent verification and submitted the necessary documentation before the deadline established for electoral nominations.
The party urged its supporters to remain calm, expressing confidence that the omission would be addressed through the appropriate process. It also maintained that Adebutu remained its legitimate candidate, notwithstanding his absence from the commission's published document.
However, the allegation of political interference remains unsubstantiated. No evidence establishing that the APC directed or improperly influenced INEC's decision was presented in the party's statement. The commission's published list also did not identify political pressure as a reason for excluding the PDP ticket.
The controversy follows earlier questions about Adebutu's eligibility arising from allegations concerning the party membership register submitted to INEC. Two civil society organisations, Ogun Democratic Accountability Forum and Elections Integrity Watch, questioned whether his name appeared in the relevant documentation.
Elections Integrity Watch claimed that a certified copy of the PDP membership register obtained from INEC did not contain Adebutu's name. The organisation argued that the alleged omission raised concerns about compliance with the legal requirements governing party nominations.
The PDP rejected that position, insisting that its candidate was properly registered and that his membership details had been submitted in accordance with electoral regulations. The conflicting claims have not been resolved by the publication of the candidate list.
The legal questions have gained significance following a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026. A seven-member panel, in a unanimous decision delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, upheld INEC's appeal concerning provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing party membership registers and candidate nominations.
The judgment restored provisions requiring political parties to use membership registers submitted to INEC within the prescribed period before conducting primaries, congresses or conventions. It also reinforced the importance of compliance with the statutory procedures governing the selection of candidates for public office.
Nevertheless, the Supreme Court did not specifically disqualify Adebutu through that judgment. Whether his omission resulted from the membership register controversy or another issue remains unclear because INEC has not publicly provided an individual explanation.
Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 establishes a procedure for political parties whose nominated candidates are missing from a published list. The provision allows a party to notify INEC in writing within 14 days, with the notification signed by its national chairman and secretary and supported by an affidavit.
That provision offers a formal mechanism for addressing omissions, although its application to Adebutu's circumstances will depend on the underlying facts and the steps taken by the PDP. There was no confirmed public information establishing that the party had completed the statutory notification process by Sunday.
The controversy has emerged as other political parties prepare for the Ogun governorship election. Among the candidates appearing on INEC's list is Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, representing the APC, alongside his running mate, Kudirat Balogun.
The African Democratic Congress candidate, Lawal Jimi Adebisi, and running mate Olutayo Florence Funlola Folake also appear on the list. Their inclusion followed a court order concerning the party's nomination, according to information accompanying the published document.
Other parties represented include the Allied Peoples Movement, Action Alliance, Action Democratic Party, Action Peoples Party, Boot Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Social Democratic Party and Young Progressives Party. The list establishes the candidates presently recognised by INEC but does not determine the outcome of any outstanding legal challenge.
The Ogun controversy is not isolated. Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami was also absent from the PDP governorship list in Gombe State, despite emerging from a fresh primary conducted following a court ruling.
Pantami's supporters described that omission as a temporary challenge and urged party members to remain calm while efforts continued to clarify the situation. His circumstances differ from Adebutu's, but both developments have drawn attention to candidate nomination procedures ahead of the elections.
For Ogun State, the immediate issue remains the absence of a PDP governorship ticket from the final published list despite the party's insistence that it complied with nomination requirements. Adebutu has demanded clarity, while INEC has yet to publicly establish the specific reason for excluding him and Sowunmi-Kolapo.
The dispute now centres on whether the omission can be resolved through the Electoral Act's notification procedure or requires further legal intervention. Until the commission provides clarification or a competent court determines any contested issue, Adebutu's candidacy remains absent from the published list, while the PDP continues to challenge that position.
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Reporting verified against coverage published October 10–11 by PREMIUM TIMES, PUNCH, The Guardian and TheCable.
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